Criteria to apply for our UK family tracing service

Who can we help?

In order for us to consider taking on an application for free to find a long lost family member, you would need to meet the following criteria:

  • You know the full name and date of birth of your family member
  • Both you and your family member are aged over 18.
  • You are a direct relative of the missing person (this does include step and foster parents/siblings)
  • The family member was in touch with you within the last 20 years
  • You have been out of touch for at least 6 months
  • Before losing contact, you had a substantial relationship with your family member
  • Your relative was last known to be in the UK
  • You are happy to talk in confidence and without judgement, about why the contact ended
  • You want to reconnect with your family member and re-build your relationship

When can’t we help?

There are a few circumstances where we categorically cannot take on a request, such as:

  • You are a spouse or ex partner of the missing person
  • The missing person is not in the UK
  • The missing person or you are under age 18
  • The missing person will not remember you
  • You have never met the missing person
  • You want to find them to arrange a will or other legal process
  • There is a legal reason you cannot be in contact

Apply

If you feel you meet the criteria above, you are welcome to submit an application. We will then take you through the process, which you can read more about here.

Apply for our family tracing service

Sign up to be a Digital Search Hero

We have launched a regular email so that you can be aware of new missing person appeals and share them far and wide! We are also calling on all Heroes to be the eyes and ears for Missing People on the ground. Your sighting of a missing person could make a difference in a crucial time.